GENERAL PRINCIPLES OF FRACTURES

Done by : Heba Abu Khalaf & Marah Saeed

OBJECTIVES

• Structure and function of bone.

• Histology of bone

• Types of bone

• Definition of fracture.

• Types of fracture

• Bone is a specialized type of connective tissue. It has a unique

histological appearance, & carry out its numerous functions.

FUNCTIONS OF BONES

• Haematopoiesis : the formation of blood cells from haematopoietic

stem cells found in the bone marrow.

• Lipid and mineral storage :bone is a reservoir holding adipose

tissue within the bone marrow and calcium within the hydroxyapatite

crystals.

• Support : bones form the framework and shape of the body.

• Protection : especially the axial skeleton which surrounds the

major organs of the body.

COMPONENTS OF BONE

• . Like any connective tissue, its components can be divided into cellular components and the

extracellular matrix.

• Cellular Components:

• There are three types of cells in bone:

• Osteoblasts : synthesize uncalcified/unmineralised extracellular matrix called osteoid. This will later

become calcified/mineralized to form bone.

• Osteocytes : the osteoblasts become between lamellae in lacunae where they mature into osteocytes.

They then monitor the minerals and proteins to regulate bone mass.

• Osteoclasts : Derived from monocytes and resorb bone by

lysosomal enzymes. They are large and multinucleated cells.

• The balance of osteoblast to osteoclast activity is important in the

maintenance of the tissue’s structural integrity. It also plays a role in

conditions such as osteoporosis.

• provide biochemical and structural support to the cells.

• In addition to collagen and the associated proteins usually found in connective tissue, bone

is impregnated with mineral salts, in particular calcium hydroxyapatite crystals. These

crystals associate with the collagen fibres, making bone hard and strong. This matrix is

organized into numerous thin layers, known as lamellae.

EXTRACELLULAR MATRIX

• Under the microscope, bone can be divided into two types:

• Woven bone (primary bone) – Appears in embryonic development and fracture repair .It

consists of osteoid (unmineralised ECM), with the collagen fibres arranged randomly. It is a

temporary structure, soon replaced by mature lamellar bone.

• Lamellar bone (secondary bone) – The bone of the adult skeleton. It consists of

mineralised osteoid. This organised structure makes it much stronger than woven bone.

Lamella bone itself can be divided into two types – compact and spongy.

Structure of Bone

• In both types of bone, the external surface is covered by a layer of connective tissue,

known as the periosteum.

• A similar layer, the endosteum lines the cavities within bone (such as the medullary canal,

Volkmann’s canal and spongy bone spaces).

• Lamellar bone can be divided into two types. The outer is known as compact

bone – this is dense and rigid. The inner layers of bone are marked by many

interconnecting cavities, and is called spongy bone.

COMPACT BONE( CORTICAL (• Compact bone forms the outer ‘shell’ of bone. In this type of bone, the lamellae are

organised into concentric circles, which surround a vertical Haversian canal (which

transmits small neurovascular and lymphatic vessels). This entire structure is called an

osteon, and is the functional unit of bone.

• The Haversian canals are connected by horizontal Volkmann-s canals – these contain

small vessels that anastomose the arteries of the Haverisan canals

• . The Volkmann’s canals also transmit blood vessels from the periosteum.

• Osteocytes are located between the lamellae, within small cavities (known as lacunae).

The lacunae are interconnected by a series of interconnecting tunnels, called canaliculi.

SPONGY BONE)CANCELLOUS(• Spongy bone makes up the interior of most bones, and is located deep to the compact

bone. It contains many large spaces – this gives it a honeycombed appearance.

• The bony matrix consists of a 3D network of fine columns, which crosslink to form irregular

trabeculae. This produces a light bone, that is strong against multidirectional lines of force.

The lightness afforded to spongy bone is crucial in allowing the body to move. If the only

type of bone was compact, they would be too heavy to mobilize.

• The spaces between trabeculae are often filled with bone marrow. Yellow bone marrow

contains adipocytes and red bone marrow consists of haematopoietic stem cells.

• This type of bone does not contain any Volkmann-s or Haversian canals.

STRUCTURE OF MATURE BONE.

TYPES OF BONE:

• 1) Long bones

• 2) Short bones (bones of the wrist and ankle)

• 3) Flat bone (sternum, and most skull bones)

• 4) Irregular bones (vertebrae and carpel bone and tarsal bone and hip bones)

• 5) Sesamoid bones (patella)

DEFINITION OF FRACTURE:

• A fracture is a soft tissue injury associated with break in the bone or a break in the

structural continuity of bone, It may be crack, a crumpling or a splintering of the

cortex .

• The resulting bone fragments may be displaced or undisplaced.

• -If the overlying skin remains intact >> closed fracture .

• if the skin or a body cavities is breached >>open/compound fracture.

PATHOLOGY OF FRACTURES

• Fractures result from:

• (1) traumatic incident >> most common

• (2) repetitive stress of normal degree persisting to the point of

mechanical fatigue

• or (3) normal stress acting on abnormally weakened bone (a so-called

‘pathological’ fracture).

HOW IS FRACTURE HAPPENED?

• Bone have special criteria >> resistancy which mean that when bone exposed to truma it will change it’s shape

in minimal degree to absorb the shock.(shock absorbent).

• Truma is a Relationship between magnitude of truma and ability of bone to resist the truma so if magnitude of

truma> resistance of bone = fracture.

• If resistance of bone > magnitude of truma = no fracture

• 1)Magnitude of truma could be out of sudden ,big ,large happened at once to bone and its exceeded the ability

of bone to absorb it >> fracture will occur even in normal bone.(so large magnitude of truma ,normal bone)

• 2)Sometimes the ability of bone to resist that truma is minimal so Fracture will happened( easily )even in weak

force/truma (low magnitude of truma in week bone ),,,could be generalize like osteoporosis, osteogenesis

imperfecta or metabolic bone disease or localize such as bone cyst a metastasis or primary bone tumor.

• 3) low magnitude of truma but in repetitive pathway in normal bone like dancer .

FRACTURE DUE TO INJURY

• Direct force >>-Bone breaks at the point of impact, soft tissues are also damaged. - A direct

blow usually splits the bone transversely or ‘butterfly’ fragment. - Damage to the overlying

skin is common >>>Always there but in different degree[Fracture >> swelling due to soft tissue

inflammation so soft tissue here always damaged but in different degree.] From simple contusion to very

sever damage.

• Indirect force >>Bone breaks at a distance from where the force is applied; soft-tissue damage

at the fracture site is not common. Most fractures are due to a combination of forces

• . • Twisting >>spiral fracture( rotational force) • Compression >>short oblique fracture. • Bending >>

triangular ‘butterfly’ fragment. • Tension >>transversely.

• Binding with compression >> betterfly

• Binding ,compression with twisting >> short oblique fracture .

• .

The bone is exposed to repetitive minor truma, each one is not

enough to break bone ,,because it’s repetitive the force will

accumulate in the bone to reach its maximum ability to resist

the truma >> finally fracture.

Most common site of fracture >> second and fifth

metatarsals,proximal tibia and neck of femur,,

• . • A similar problem exists in people who are on

medication that alters the normal balance of bone

resorption and replacement; stress fractures are

increasingly seen in patients with chronic

inflammatory diseases who are on treatment with

steroids or methotrexate.

Cont.

• Fractures may occur even with normal stresses if the

bone has been weakened by 1)a change in its structure

(e.g. in osteoporosis, osteogenesis imperfecta or

Paget’s disease) or 2)through a lytic lesion (e.g. a bone

cyst or a metastasis).

3)Pathological fractures

TYPES OF FRACTURE

• • COMPLETE FRACTURES:

• The bone is split into two or more fragments.

• The fracture pattern helps to tell how the fracture occurred and how it is likely to

behave after reduction.

• If the fracture is transverse, the fragments usually remain in place after reduction.

• if it is oblique or spiral, they tend to slip and re displace even if the bone is splinted.

• . In an impacted fracture the fragments are jammed tightly together and the fracture

line is indistinct.

• Double fractures in a long-bone diaphysis, leaving an isolated segment between the

breaks, is called a segmental fracture.

• A comminuted fracture is one in which there are multiple fragments; because there is

poor interlocking of the fragments, these fractures are unstable.

Complete fractures

TRUMA IN ORTHPIDICS

• Important to know machinism of truma >> we will suspect where the injury will happen

• Positioned of pt in the accident .

IMPACTED FRACTURE

SEGMENTAL FRACTURE – A TYPICAL HIGH-ENERGY INJURY;

TRANSVERSE FRACTURE

OBLIQUE FRACTURE

SPIRAL FRACTURE, DUE TO A TWISTING FORCE – A TYPICAL LOW-ENERGY FRACTURE

• INCOMPLETE FRACTURES

• The bone is incompletely divided and the periosteum

remains in continuity.

• eg:- greenstick fracture where the bone is bent , seen in

children more than adults.

INCOMPLETE (‘GREENSTICK’) FRACTURE OF THE ULNA

TYPES ON INCOMPLETE

• Stress fractures also may be incomplete, with the break initially

appearing in only one part of the cortex; nevertheless, they take just

as long to heal as complete fractures.

• Compression fractures This is seen most typically in the vertebral bodies.

• Green stick

COMPRESSION FRACTURE, TYPICALLY OF AN OSTEOPOROTIC LUMBAR VERTEBRA

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF FRACTURE (BROKEN)

• B>> brusing with pain or swelling.

• R>> reduced movement.

• O>> odd appearance.

• K>> krackling sound( from bone fragments) .

• E>> edema or erythema.

• N>> neurovascular impairments

FRACTURE DISPLACEMENT

• After a complete fracture the fragments usually become

displaced, partly by the force of the injury, partly by gravity and

partly by the pull of muscles attached to them.

• . Displacement is usually described in terms of translation,

alignment, rotation and altered length.

• ■Translation (shift): the fragments may be shifted sideways,

backwards or forwards in relation to each other, such that the fracture

surfaces lose contact. The fracture will usually unite even if apposition is

imperfect, and sometimes even if the bone ends lie side by side with the

fracture surfaces making no contact at all

• ■Alignment (angulation):

• the fragments may be tilted or angulated in relation to each

other. If malalignment is marked the bend in the limb may be

obvious; small degrees of malalignment are detected only by x-

ray

• ■ Rotation (twist): long-bone fragments may be rotated in relation

to each other; the bone looks straight but the limb ends up

with a torsional deformity

• ■ Length: the fragments may be distracted and separated, or

they may overlap, due to muscle spasm, causing shortening of

the bone.

SOFT-TISSUE DAMAGE

• Low-energy (low-velocity) fractures cause only moderate soft-tissue damage; >>the

classic example is a closed spiral fracture

• High-energy (high velocity) fractures cause severe damage;>> examples are segmental

and comminuted fractures, no matter whether open or closed

• The state of the enveloping soft tissues has a significant effect

on fracture healing.

• A full description of the fracture should therefore include

comment on the soft tissues.